Friendswood seventh grader chases National Spelling Bee title

Update: Seventh-grader Syamantak Payra of Friendswood has been eliminated in the bee finals.

Syamantak Payra, a 12-year-old seventh grader from Westbrook Intermediate School in Friendswood, Texas, aced the spelling of “pangandrum,” a powerful personage or pretentious official, in the first round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals Thursday night.

Facing a packed auditorium and national audience live on ESPN, Syamantak enunciated the word repeatedly, and asked for its language of origin and definition. He then mimed writing the letters on his palm before vocalizing the spelling. As the only finalist who has never before competed on the national level, Syamantak remains in the running for the title of champion.

Sponsored by HoustonPBS, Syamantak is among 11 finalists selected from 42 semifinalists in the Bee on the basis of their on-stage oral tests and on two computer-based exams.